# Cooking with Cast Iron



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Just wondering if any of our other "home cooks" here like using cast iron? Was out yesterday and bought a couple of pans (Lodge Cookware) and while on the way home I saw a yard sale. I hardly ever stop at these but I noticed something sitting on a table so I pulled over. Sitting there in all of it's beautiful glory was the Holy Grail of CI cookware. A Griswold. It was in great shape and I walked away with it for $4. Spent time seasoning/re-seasoning until the wee hours of this morning. Probably going to add at least another layer of seasoning today and will be using them for 100% of my frying going forward.

There is just something about the flavor of foods from a well seasoned cast iron pan that cannot be duplicated in other types of cookware. So let me hear it if you enjoy cooking with cast iron! :tu


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

I have been cooking with the same cast fry pan for going on 30 yrs. Food just seems to have a whole different taste.

Makes some of the best gravy as far as I'm concerned.


----------



## pippin925 (Jan 3, 2013)

Once you get use to cooking with cast iron it can't be beat. We have a fairly decent collection of cast iron pans, griddles and a couple of dutch ovens that have been handed down and I love them. Once seasoned properly they perform great. Plus you can't properly blacken food without cast iron, so that in itself makes at least one pan a necessesity :thumb:


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

I wish I had my Mother's old pans. She inherited them from her Mother who inherited them from her Mother. Those things were beautifully seasoned and eggs would just slide right out. Just put the Gris in the oven at 425 after coating with bacon/meat grease. Will stay in for about 90 minutes.

EDIT: Who is the maker of your CI Don?


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

I have a couple of 10 in pans from Lodge. Lots of uses besides cooking on stove top, bake some cornbread in the oven, pound chicken breasts
down etc.


----------



## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

Nothing is better than a steak from a cast iron skillet :hungry:


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

Absolutely, also I don't think a pork chop can get much better when done in one. Fried potatoes can't be beat either.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

dj1340 said:


> I have a couple of 10 in pans from Lodge. Lots of uses besides cooking on stove top, bake some cornbread in the oven, pound chicken breasts
> down etc.


I am not sure you can even make proper cornbread without a CI pan. :noidea: My Mother used to make cornbread in a CI pan but on the grill. :dr



fuente~fuente said:


> Nothing is better than a steak from a cast iron skillet :hungry:


I agree. A steak that is pan cooked on anything but CI just does not turn out right. I am sure it has to do with the evenness of the heat distribution with CI.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Get out of my head Don. Plans for Supper tonight is pork chops (bone in) and fried potatoes along with some Brussells Sprouts.


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

There is a cooking show on TV, can't remember the name or channel (sorry, I'll try and chase it down). A french chef that cooks with
almost all CI pans and dutch ovens in a fireplace hearth like they used to in Europe. Guy makes some crazy food.

Also love watching the Chuck-Wagon cook offs that air on the Food Network from time to time. They use all CI pans and dutch ovens


----------



## OnePyroTec (Dec 11, 1997)

I love using Cast Iron...I can't get my wife to figure it out so most of the time it just goes in my camping gear. I have a nice flat grill for steaks or seafood...that is the one and only thing that has ever caused me to YELL at a friends wife...I usually leave that up to friends to do. You guys can imagine the horror when I come strolling back into camp and found her washing my grill with soapy water after I had asked several times for her to leave it alone...I'll clean it. :sad:


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> Get out of my head Don. Plans for Supper tonight is pork chops (bone in) and fried potatoes along with some Brussells Sprouts.


Damn, I can't get there in time. If I weren't going out to dinner with the wife I'd be headed to the butcher for some thick chops myself!


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

OnePyroTec said:


> I love using Cast Iron...I can't get my wife to figure it out so most of the time it just goes in my camping gear. I have a nice flat grill for steaks or seafood...that is the one and only thing that has ever caused me to YELL at a friends wife...I usually leave that up to friends to do. You guys can imagine the horror when I come strolling back into camp and found her washing my grill with soapy water after I had asked several times for her to leave it alone...I'll clean it. :sad:


My wife did that once, just once mind you


----------



## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> Get out of my head Don. Plans for Supper tonight is pork chops (bone in) and fried potatoes along with some Brussells Sprouts.


You had me until Brussells Sprouts :yuck:


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

Love me some Brussel Sprouts. Hell I love cabbage too


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

dj1340 said:


> There is a cooking show on TV, can't remember the name or channel (sorry, I'll try and chase it down). A french chef that cooks with
> almost all CI pans and dutch ovens in a fireplace hearth like they used to in Europe. Guy makes some crazy food.
> 
> Also love watching the Chuck-Wagon cook offs that air on the Food Network from time to time. They use all CI pans and dutch ovens


Was reading an article one day that was talking about a lot of "Fine Dining" Chefs are starting to use CI. I really cannot find a reason why one would not use it whenever possible.



OnePyroTec said:


> I love using Cast Iron...I can't get my wife to figure it out so most of the time it just goes in my camping gear. I have a nice flat grill for steaks or seafood...that is the one and only thing that has ever caused me to YELL at a friends wife...I usually leave that up to friends to do. You guys can imagine the horror when I come strolling back into camp and found her washing my grill with soapy water after I had asked several times for her to leave it alone...I'll clean it. :sad:


OUCH! Never saw my Mother/Grandmother/ Great Grandmother ever use anything to clean except hot water, a soft brush for any stuck on bits, and a paper towel. Dated a girl once who I bought one for and after I took the time to season it the first thing she did was to wash it in hot, soapy water because "it felt greasy". She also proceeded to put it in the dish drainer to "drip dry". Took a bit to scrub the rust off and re-season. Needles to say she got a lengthy discussion on how to properly care for CI. :frusty:


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Hmmm Cabbage. Maybe I will make some fried cabbage instead of the sprouts.


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

Pretty good website about CI

Cowboys and Chuckwagon Cooking : Cast iron Cooking from the Chuckwagon, the Stove or the Grill


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

That link has been bookmarked. Thanks Don. :tu


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Careful goin over that hill, once you go CI its hard to go back to anything else afterwards.


----------



## CeeGar (Feb 19, 2007)

I use CI almost exclusively. I own several different pieces. You have to be very careful when cleaning them or you won't keep a good seasoned surface. Use soap and water only when absolutely necessary. Usually when I clean a pan I will cut a lemon in half, throw some kosher salt into the pan and scrub with the lemon half. Wipe the the pan out afterward or just a quick splash of water.


----------



## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

absolutely love it, been using it for years


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

I'll never forget the time my mother took a brillo pad to our 100yr old CI skillet. My father didn't speak to her for a week.


----------



## purepoker (Sep 15, 2011)

I have a ci kitchen set up under a lean to roof i built next to my garage. I have a ci tripod set up over a ci fire ring right in front. Several sizes of ci dutch ovens. Every size of ci skillets. Many ci pokers and lid holders. Ci griddles, wok, and even my initials to stamp steaks with. Ci furniture, french fry cutter, ci grill, ci burner, etc, etc, etc... 

Absolutely love to cook on ci especially outside, while smoking a nice cigar of course!!!


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

purepoker said:


> I have a ci kitchen set up under a lean to roof i built next to my garage. I have a ci tripod set up over a ci fire ring right in front. Several sizes of ci dutch ovens. Every size of ci skillets. Many ci pokers and lid holders. Ci griddles, wok, and even my initials to stamp steaks with. Ci furniture, french fry cutter, ci grill, ci burner, etc, etc, etc...
> 
> Absolutely love to cook on ci especially outside, while smoking a nice cigar of course!!!


Where do you get a custom stamp for your steaks? Thats badass!!!


----------



## purepoker (Sep 15, 2011)

i got mine at a lodge outlet store in Tennessee...

Lodge Factory Store Sevierville, TN (865) 429-1713

http://www.bbqfans.com/products/letter-k-steak-branding-iron


----------



## JeepGuy (Dec 7, 2012)

I love using CI! I'll be using my CI skillet for breakfast in the morning. Haven't done a steak in one but yall are making me want to try! Haha


----------



## klittle250 (Oct 15, 2012)

Habanolover said:


> Just wondering if any of our other "home cooks" here like using cast iron? Was out yesterday and bought a couple of pans (Lodge Cookware) and while on the way home I saw a yard sale. I hardly ever stop at these but I noticed something sitting on a table so I pulled over. Sitting there in all of it's beautiful glory was the Holy Grail of CI cookware. A Griswold. It was in great shape and I walked away with it for $4. Spent time seasoning/re-seasoning until the wee hours of this morning. Probably going to add at least another layer of seasoning today and will be using them for 100% of my frying going forward.
> 
> There is just something about the flavor of foods from a well seasoned cast iron pan that cannot be duplicated in other types of cookware. So let me hear it if you enjoy cooking with cast iron! :tu


That's a hell of a find for $4, CI is hard to beat


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Made some cornbread in the Griswold last night. It stuck in just a couple of small spots so the seasoning is starting to take hold and after a few more uses there should be no sticking at all. :tu

Supper was cornbread crumbled into a bowl of milk with some onion diced into it and salt and pepper to taste and a couple of slices of fried fatback on the side for the meat. Wasn't as good as Mom's but it wasn't bad at all.


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> Made some cornbread in the Griswold last night. It stuck in just a couple of small spots so the seasoning is starting to take hold and after a few more uses there should be no sticking at all. :tu
> 
> Supper was cornbread crumbled into a bowl of milk with some onion diced into it and salt and pepper to taste and a couple of slices of fried fatback on the side for the meat. Wasn't as good as Mom's but it wasn't bad at all.


Man that sounds good. Also fits right in with my low fat diet!!


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

LOL @ Don. As can be seen from pics posted on here, I am very "health conscious". ound:

My ex (who was from N.J. and had never even heard of fatback) did not like salt at all. She would not even put it on fries. One day I fried some fatback to have with breakfast and she tried a small bite after I convinced her of how good fatback was. I slept on the couch for about a week after that. :biggrin:

I just wish I could find a "slab" of fatback around here instead of the very thin pieces that are sold in the grocery stores and compressed together to look like a solid piece. I may have to check out a couple of the local butcher shops.


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

I probably should mention in full disclosure that I am in no way skinny. Really don't plan on it. I love fatback, also glad to see a lot of
restaurants are now putting pork belly on their appetizer menu. Ah the good old days when grandma cooked with lard!!


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

It still amazes me that people are shocked when they see me pouring off bacon, fatback, etc. grease into a jar for later use. It's like they think it goes bad or something. I will sometimes use an oil (especially EVOO) for cooking but I use either lard or Crisco 95% of the time. I mean seriously, how in the world could bacon grease not make something taste better? :ask:


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

My mom's 83 and grew up on a farm. Bacon grease was ALWAYS stored in a fancy tin that was labeled Grease!
I use CI all the time, whether it's a skillet, pan or dutch oven. How else you going to get stuff browned correctly?!
I've got sets for home and camping.

My roommates years ago, damn near killed ME, when my future wife decided to help out and wash the dishes in the dishwasher. They finally forgave me after I spent the next week reseasoning the skillet with duck fat.

Duck breasts, put in the freezer until semifrozen, sliced thin, dipped in buttermilk, rolled in corn meal with seasonings, and fried one minute per side in lard or bacon grease......now that is a snack for watching football on Sundays!

Just found a picture similar to what my mom used. Only difference was the letters were black like the handle.


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

Well hell, now I'm off to the butcher for some meat!! I just had all my blood work done today so I'm celebrating with an Old Fashioned
and smoking a nice Padilla 1932. Some Pork on the menu tonight in the old CI skillet.


----------



## CeeGar (Feb 19, 2007)

dj1340 said:


> Well hell, now I'm off to the butcher for some meat!! I just had all my blood work done today so I'm celebrating with an Old Fashioned
> and smoking a nice Padilla 1932. Some Pork on the menu tonight in the old CI skillet.


Sounds good Don! Pork chops, perhaps?

I still keep bacon drippings in a clasp jar. I use it for cooking sometimes and I brush a little on top of biscuits before they go into the oven. :hungry:


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

CeeGar said:


> Sounds good Don! Pork chops, perhaps?
> 
> I still keep bacon drippings in a clasp jar. I use it for cooking sometimes and I brush a little on top of biscuits before they go into the oven. :hungry:


Yes Sir!! Butcher shop has some about 2 in thick that I'm brining. Some fried fingerling potatoes in the pan when the chops are done.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

HaHa Glad I could help Don! 

Eric, I remember my grandmother having a "grease pot" almost identical to the one you posted. Mom always used a plain old Mason jar. Just have to make sure the grease is cooled down enough before pouring into the jar. I may look for one of those containers in the future as they look a lot nicer than an old jar.


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> HaHa Glad I could help Don!
> 
> Eric, I remember my grandmother having a "grease pot" almost identical to the one you posted. Mom always used a plain old Mason jar. Just have to make sure the grease is cooled down enough before pouring into the jar. I may look for one of those containers in the future as they look a lot nicer than an old jar.


Thanks Donnie!! I needed the push obviously? Don't know if it's an old wives tail but I used to put warmed bacon grease on my dogs dry food. Of course they
loved it and heard somewhere it was supposed to give them a shiny coat. Don't know if it worked but they were happy when suppertime came around


----------



## CeeGar (Feb 19, 2007)

dj1340 said:


> Thanks Donnie!! I needed the push obviously? Don't know if it's an old wives tail but I used to put warmed bacon grease on my dogs dry food. Of course they
> loved it and heard somewhere it was supposed to give them a shiny coat. Don't know if it worked but they were happy when suppertime came around


We used to do that too, Don. Boy they would tear that bowl up..Lol. A spoonful on top and they would just inhale that dry food.


----------



## Tman (Sep 12, 2010)

After going through couple teflon coated pans, I got fed up and started using stainless steel pans. I can't put myself to use strong heat on the stainless steel pans, so I started using cast iron pans. The 10" pan is the staple for my cooking now. So tasty with grilling meat and veggies! The iron content you get from CI pans are healthy for you to boot!


----------



## kbiv (Jul 30, 2010)

I've gotten pretty lazy with my CI stuff, as far as cleaning. Cooking, I'm probably 85% or so. (Haven't looked for a CI sauce pan) I used to freak out over a drop of soap, and was shocked when the non-CI wife scrubbed it clean, but now, I just tell myself its a chunk of metal. I'll try to boil everything loose, but if it needs soap, it will get it. I'll usually reseason after having to strip everything, but a lot of times, I'll heat it up to dry, and then just hit it lightly with PAM. I'm not afraid to chuck up a wire brush in the drill, either. I guess I got over all my CI care and feeding neurosis after I got tired of the dog eating out of an old dutch oven for five years. A little time with the drill and some crisco, and now it is a chili making monster!!! I just don't share the history to too many people. :bounce:


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> HaHa Glad I could help Don!
> 
> Eric, I remember my grandmother having a "grease pot" almost identical to the one you posted. Mom always used a plain old Mason jar. Just have to make sure the grease is cooled down enough before pouring into the jar. I may look for one of those containers in the future as they look a lot nicer than an old jar.


Donnie, I think my mom still has it packed away somewhere. Her sisters all had something like it too. I bet there are some out there packed away just waiting for a yard sale. It was a double, meaning there was the outer container and then there was an inner metal container that held the grease. That way the outside metal container never got hot. 
A dab of bacon grease went onto all the vegetables she cooked as well as lots of other stuff.
Her old cast iron skillets are so slick after 60 some years I don't think a raw egg would stick to them.
And I'm also of the very strong opinion that there is no fried chicken like the one you get from CI.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Damn, what a great thread! Someone bump Donnie for me...can't until I spread some 'love' around...lol


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

I got him


----------



## T3Hunter (Mar 12, 2013)

I love cooking with cast iron. My favourites to cook in a good solid pan are bacon, fried potatoes and fresh caught trout. Mouth watering just thinking about it. I only have the one 10 inch CI pan, but it is well seasoned and treats me well.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Country ham and over easy eggs in the CI this morning. These were accompanied by some grits and toast with red-eye gravy. :dr


----------



## A.McSmoke (Jan 9, 2013)

Habanolover said:


> Country ham and over easy eggs in the CI this morning. These were accompanied by some grits and toast with red-eye gravy. :dr


Now that's how we do it in the Carolinas...born & raised in Florence


----------



## Cadillac (Feb 28, 2007)

Awesome! Just found this thread! I Picked up a couple of CI's a few months back.... Freakin love em! Told the wife not to go near em LoL.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Let's see, made eggs scrambled with sausage this morning for the boys.
Tonight cooked some pre-cooked sliced potatoes and followed with some petite steaks. hmmmmmmm


----------



## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

Well I see that I'm late to the party arty:

Here is a pic anyways.









The pic I took of our blue ceramic grease pot w/ lid won't load... :dunno:


----------



## dj1340 (Mar 30, 2009)

This reminds me of the old Hee Haw shows where Grandpa would give out the menu for dinner that night


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> Country ham and over easy eggs in the CI this morning. These were accompanied by some grits and toast with red-eye gravy. :dr


This Westerner and now mid-westerner had to go look up red-eye gravy. lol
Sounds like what my older uncles did on camping trips to soften hardtack. Sort of anyway.


----------



## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

Being a Californican, I wasn't acquainted with red-eye gravy either, but I figured with a name including red eye that there would be some coffee in it :biggrin:
So I looked er up and sure nuff there was!

I will sometimes put some coffee in a pot of stew :nod:

Dang now I'm hungry :hungry:


----------



## Cadillac (Feb 28, 2007)

dj1340 said:


> This reminds me of the old Hee Haw shows where Grandpa would give out the menu for dinner that night


Racoon ribs LoL!


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Browned/sauté some chicken breasts last night.
Cooked up some pork chops tonight. Love the way it browns nicely.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Had 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts in one package. Could not eat it all so...hmmm, I jut sliced it up, marinated it, breaded it and made chicken tenders. Cooked evenly to a nice golden brown on all sides. Delicious with some honey mustard.

The pans are now to the point that I can fry eggs in them without any sticking. Melted cheese from a grilled cheese sandwich even cleans right up. :tu


----------



## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

here ya go fellas.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

That looks delicious Josh! :dr


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Just found out Wagner is still in business making cast iron skillets that are machined on the inside like way back when.

American Culinary Cookware - Magnalite, Wagner Ware, MagPro


----------



## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

Habanolover said:


> That looks delicious Josh! :dr


it was really good. I should have used my 8" pan instead of my 12" because I couldn't eat it all!


----------



## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

Nice work!


----------



## chestrockwell80 (Apr 29, 2013)

Do you guy and girls use water to clean your Cast Iron pans?


----------



## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

chestrockwell80 said:


> Do you guy and girls use water to clean your Cast Iron pans?


Yes, and a brush with bristles. Just make sure it's dry when your done.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Gonna try my hand at making a mushroom Risotto for the first time tomorrow night. Any thoughts on using CI for this or should I just stick with the non-stick coated pan for it?


----------



## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

Habanolover said:


> Gonna try my hand at making a mushroom Risotto for the first time tomorrow night. Any thoughts on using CI for this or should I just stick with the non-stick coated pan for it?


I think it should work ok.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

I think I may try it. Main concern is the fact that the CI retains heat so well that I worry about it absorbing the stock at a rate that ends up with the rice overcooked. Will probably just lower the temp a small bit to compensate for it. If I can remember I will snap a pic of the finished product.

I have to admit that I am a little intimidated at the prospect of cooking it but I do love the dish and from some google-fu it seems that it is actually not that daunting. Just have to stir and check on the rice starting at about the 15 min mark and test frequently until the consistency is correct.

EDIT: Here is the recipe I will be following.

*Mushroom Risotto*

*Ingredients:*
6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound sliced Portobello Mushrooms
1 pound sliced white mushrooms
2 shallots, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

*Directions:*
Warm the chicken broth in a saucepan over low heat.
Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until soft (about 3 minutes). Remove the mushrooms and the liquid and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the large saucepan and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. 
Add rice to the shallots, stirring to coat the rice with oil. When the rice starts to turn a pale, golden yellow, add the wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed.
Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice and stir until the broth is absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup of broth and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 cup broth to the rice and stir constantly until the broth is absorbed. Repeat this action until the rice is al dente (about 15 to 20 minutes).
Remove the rice from the heat and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper (to taste).


----------



## A.McSmoke (Jan 9, 2013)

Habanolover said:


> I think I may try it. Main concern is the fact that the CI retains heat so well that I worry about it absorbing the stock at a rate that ends up with the rice overcooked. Will probably just lower the temp a small bit to compensate for it. If I can remember I will snap a pic of the finished product.
> 
> I have to admit that I am a little intimidated at the prospect of cooking it but I do love the dish and from some google-fu it seems that it is actually not that daunting. Just have to stir and check on the rice starting at about the 15 min mark and test frequently until the consistency is correct.


I've cranked out a few Risottos on the cast iron, and like the mention, the most important thing is to constantly monitor it, stir when needed, and manage the entire cooking process. If you have top that fits a bit, cover it for the first half cooking time (regular heat), but you'll still need to closely watch & stir to maintain the Risotto texure


----------



## zgnombies (Jan 10, 2013)

Cast Iron is spectacular. I use my cast iron skillet for almost everything!


----------



## bleber (Oct 13, 2012)

I have a Lodge cast iron pan that I use on a gas range. Can't be beat! I cook steak or fish with it nearly every night. Seems to stay seasoned really well since I use it so much.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Las night was pork chops, fried potatoes, and fried okra. The pans are really getting a nice sheen on them and pretty much everything just slides right out. When I am going to cook something in the oven (like a TV Dinner) I will usually rub a little lard in the pans and leave them in the oven. I think this helps further seasoning greatly.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Over the past 7 days, I've used my to make fried chicken (need one bigger than the 10 1/2 I have) then the gravy, brats (grill is rusted through, so used the trusty skillet), sausage gravy for bisquits, pork chops, browned some chicken breasts, and beef fajitas with peppers and onions.


----------



## madbricky (Mar 29, 2013)

I'm not an expert on everything but between my dad (rip) and 20 years of scouting I learned quite a bit.
The essential difference between CI and other store bought pans is heat distribution. Thinner pans heat unevenly and when food its put in them the media as well as the metal cool down dramatically. Having the big iron is just like a mini diners grill. Sear, deep fry and steady heat is so much easier to cook well with. I use a temp probe to get things right like deep frying fish at 345°. 
Acidic foods like chili and spaghetti are the enemy because the tomato sauce eats the surface layer of seasoned oil. It's easy to restore though. After cleaning the pan really well and drying coat it with peanut oil then coat it with kosher salt. Into the oven it goes at 400 till the salt starts getting brown. Bring it out and carefully wipe out the salt until it's smooth. The salt opens up the pores of the metal and also protects the oil while it breaks down and bonds to the metal. This type of seasoning is traditional and recommended by makers like Lodge.
Your new pans today come out of the castings way more rough than the days of ceramic casting, as they use the lost wax and sand today. It just means you need to put a 6 inch 120 grit circular pad on the drill and go to town on the iron until the sand mold pits are gone and its smooth as a babies bottom. When the bottom is done you can work the sides and top edges where food might stick to finish it off. In to the oven with that high temp resistant peanut oil and salt until the metal goes from shiny to dark seasoned.
When your done cooking clean those pans good and in a pinch use borax flakes to cut food burned on.
Dry it off and then using a paper towel soaked with oil shine up the rust exposed areas all while the pan is getting heated up on the stove to really get the water out.
Put a paper towel over the cooking surface and store it covered.
Animal fats will go rancid on metal or left on the stove. Put that bacon grease in the reefer. 
My dad had one deep roaster that always had the Crisco half up for French fries and other mellow stuff.
Deep fried fish and chicken oil has to be dumped as it contains body fluids that will spoil. 
Peanut oil is cheap and it will go hotter than any other oil before burning. That's why I use it for Roux and blackened cod.
This is all my experience except Dutch ovens which is magical cooking. 
Just my two cents on cast iron cooking tools so if it helps great! I know there are many other traditions that work great too, I'm just more anal retentive about food safety. Lol


----------



## Beeman (Apr 12, 2013)

fuente~fuente said:


> Nothing is better than a steak from a cast iron skillet :hungry:


PREACH! One of the reasons I like using CI pans is that, along with the flavors, I can sear the steak on the stovetop, and then pop it in the oven. My trusty skillet makes a better steak than I can find at any steakhouse.


----------

